The Newt in Somerset (Hadspen House)

About

Hadspen House stands quietly in the Somerset countryside a few miles outside Bruton, its warm limestone façade a confident example of early Georgian country house architecture. The estate dates to the seventeenth century and passed through generations of the Hobhouse family, who shaped both the house and the gardens that now define the landscape. Today the property operates as The Newt in Somerset, a meticulous restoration led by South African owners Koos Bekker and Karen Roos. Their approach treats the estate as a living organism rather than a museum. Georgian proportions remain intact inside Hadspen House, where restrained paneling, tall sash windows, and carefully sourced antiques give the rooms a calm authority. Outside, the experience broadens across orchards, cider presses, and one of Britain’s most ambitious contemporary garden projects. The Parabola, a sweeping terraced garden planted with thousands of perennials, turns a simple hillside into a theatrical landscape. Farm buildings house bakeries, creameries, and a working cider cellar, reinforcing the sense that the estate feeds itself. Staying here feels like stepping into a country estate that never stopped evolving. Architecture, agriculture, and hospitality operate in quiet harmony, making The Newt feel both historic and entirely alive.